Ketuvim is the third and final section of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible). The Hebrew word כתובים (ketuvim) means "writings." In English translations of the Hebrew Bible, this section is usually entitled "The Writings" or "Hagiographa."
In the Jewish textual tradition, Chronicles is counted as one book. Ezra and Nehemiah are also counted together as a single book called "Ezra." Thus, there are are total of eleven books in the section called Ketuvim (see the enumeration in the list of books below).
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2 Order of the Books in Ketuvim 3 Other Ways to Order the Books |
Special Groups of Books in Ketuvim
Psalms, Proverbs, and Job employ a special system of cantillation notes appropriate to their poetic nature. In old masoretic manuscripts they are presented in a special form emphasizing the parallel stitches in the verses, also a function of their poetry. Collectively, these three books are known as Sifrei Emet (an abbreviation of the first letter from each title in Hebrew yields Emet). Their special cantillation notes are called Ta`amei Emet.
The five relatively short books of Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes and Esther are collectively known as the Hamesh Megillot ("The Five Scrolls"). These scrolls are traditionally read over the course of the year in many Jewish communities. The list below presents them in the order they are read in the synagogue on holidays, beginning with the Song of Songs on Passover.
The following list divides the books of Ketuvim into three subgroups based on the distinctiveness of Sifrei Emet and Hamesh Megillot.
Group I: The Three Poetic Books (Sifrei Emet)
Order of the Books in Ketuvim
(as found in common printed editions)
Group III: Other Historical Books
Other Ways to Order the Books
The order of the books in Ketuvim varies in manuscripts and printed editions. Some, for instance, place Chronicles first instead of last. The above list presents the books in the order found in most common printed versions of the Hebrew Bible today. Historically, this particular order of the books derives from manuscripts written by the Jews of Ashkenaz (medieval Germany).
But unlike the Torah and Neviim (the first two sections of Tanakh), the Jewish textual tradition never finalized the order of the books in Ketuvim. The Talmud (see Bavli Bava Batra 14b-15a) gives their order as follows: Ruth, Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Lamentations, Daniel, Scroll of Esther, Ezra, Chronicles.
In Tiberian masoretic codices including the Aleppo Codex and the Leningrad Codex, and often in old Spanish manuscripts as well, the order or Ketuvim is as follows: Chronicles, Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ruth, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, Esther, Daniel, Ezra.